Vol. 2

:152 ST. MARK.poor not to envy it. Whoever will not believe wisdomitself, and the author of salvation in the businessof salvation, is resolved to shut his eyes and to perish.That which makes the danger the greater, is, thatmen are either least, or rather not at all afraid, inthat state wherein they have most reason to be so.It istherefore no other than to turn our backs uponthe kingdom of God, for us to have no other design,but how to raise what the world calls a fortune, andto heap up riches upon riches." 24. And the disciples were astonished at hiswords. But Jesus answereth again, and saith untothem, Children, how hard is it for them that trustin riches to enter into the kingdom of God !"The poor are sooner astonished at these words,than the rich are so much as moved by them : thereason is,because men see the danger of others betterthan their own. It is much easier for a man tobe contented without those things which he has not,than to disengage himself from those which he possesses,and not to trust in them. The poor mayfind a sufficient ground of trust and confidence intheir poverty, since the kingdom of God is theirsbut the rich have reason to tremble in themidst oftheir riches. Whoever finds in them his rest, hisjoy, and his happiness, never thinks of seeking forthese things in God. And there lies the greatestmisery." 25. It is easier for a camel to go through theeye of a needle, than for a rich man to eiiter into thekingdom of God. 26. And they were astonishedout of measure, saying among themselves, Who thencan be saved?'*